Comments

Today I got ten spam comments on this blog in the course of about three hours. It takes time to delete these annoying (usually illiterate) comments, and the comments themselves are potentially dangerous, inasmuch as the links, if clicked, may install malware on your computer. 

So I've decided to bite the bullet and impose some controls on commenting. I tried this once or twice before, but curtailed the experiment because people complained about the inconvenience of having to sign in via a social media service like Facebook, or having to reproduce a random verification code. 

I agree that this is more of a hassle than just clicking "Post," and the verification codes are often frustratingly hard to decipher. But the flood of spam is a problem I just can't ignore. This time I'm committed to the program. And I'm sure we'll all get used to it soon enough. 

In the meantime, I've tracked down a helpful instructional video from NewsRadio that may help us better adjust to these new circumstances: 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37cf-WmEqPI

 

Comments

[A Facebook User]

Testing the annoying comment log-in system. For some reason it signs me in as A Facebook User instead of under my FB ID. Whatever.

- Michael Prescott

[Michael Prescott]

Testing the verification code procedure.

[Michael Prescott]

Testing TypePad log-in. - MP

[Michael]

Testing Yahoo login (under "More ...").

Note that Twitter login doesn't work.

- MP

[Michael Prescott]

Testing Google login. - MP

[Matt Rouge]

Testing.

[Matt Rouge]

I can never sign in under FB on Typepad for some reason.

Michael, I'd like to cast my vote for getting rid of the avatars. Visually annoying!

[Michael Prescott]

The avatars will probably go. They seem to serve no purpose.

[Roger Knights]

Why not allow users to assign their own avatars, with null avatars being used for all who don't? That works well elsewhere.

[Paul]

I agree - the spam of late seems to have increased massively for som reason, I mean how many guccie bags can there be?

[Williamlarman]

Testing.can't remember registering with facebook, but already have an account, and oh so many friends that I've never met or heard of.
Snorkler.

[Williamlarman]

My avatar seems to indicate I have hair on top of my head, when in reality i'm as bald as a badger.
Was 'Raj' one of the spam posts this morning?
Snorkler.

[Michael Prescott]

Yes, Raj was spam.

Roger, I don't think TypePad allows users to choose their own avatars.

[Michael Prescott]

FWIW, I've had the most success signing in with Yahoo, Google, and TypePad, all found under the "more" link. Twitter login did not work. Facebook login worked but identified me as A Facebook User rather than by name, even though I have a FB account.

Typing the CAPTCHA verification code also works.

I nixed the avatars.

[duck soup]

.

[duck soup]

Sorry, that wasn't supposed to post if you get what I mean. The writing has just enlarged too, really big. Oh no, what have I done.

[j9]

This is a test

[j9]

second test with facebook

[j9]

Ah, but I do see that if I sign in under FB, it puts my name instead of the ID I usually sign in with. In that case, one might chose to use the password method.

[j9]

One last time. I think I was able to edit the profile

[j9]

great, I got it.

[Barbara]

testing

[Williamlarman]

Testing. How does one revert back to original pseudonem(Sp)at bottom of comment?

[Sleepers]

I'm sure someone gets paid good money for all that spam. I just don't see who buys into any of it, let alone the stuff that comes out here!!

[Sleepers]

FYI: I meant the SPAM that comes out on here, NOT anyone's comments.

[Michael Prescott]

"How does one revert back to original pseudonem(Sp)at bottom of comment?"

One option is to sign in using the CAPTCHA code. Then you can use your original screen name. To do this, just write the comment and click Post. A CAPTCHA dialogue box will come up.

[Michael Prescott]

You can also create a special account with one of these social media services using your preferred screen name as your ID. Note that in addition to the three services listed*, there are several others that can be accessed by clicking "more ..." These include Google, Yahoo, and AOL. It is easy to set up a free Google or Yahoo account.

*Twitter, however, doesn't seem to work for TypePad logins.

[snorkler]

Oh well, It's too late, my cover has been blown.Mossad are on to me and surrounding my cabin as I type. Goodbye cruel world.

[Matt Rouge]

With Facebook, no "sign in" button appears, so I couldn't sign in with that. I authorized Typepad to use my Twitter account, but it didn't work. Why can't Typepad get this stuff right?!

[Joshua Cearley]

I don't suppose there's any option to use hashcashes?

They are a javascript-only thing that runs in the background of a browser, so people using post bots without javascript can't post and people using javascript can't post spam in huge bulk amounts.

[Alex]

Hi. Recently I chat with Michael (Prescott) about the number of researchers who support the psi hypothesis for survival. He told me to write a comment here for getting better answers. Does anyone knows? (which researchers support 'super psi'.

[ncu9nc]

This is off topic but may be of interest to readers here. There is a podcast by someone who took a class at Arthur Findlay College which is probably the world's best (only?) school with residential programs in mediumship. What is relevant to the readers here is that one of the instructors who is a physical mediumship implies that David Thompson is a genuine medium who's level of mediumship he aspires to attain. That is a pretty good recommendation coming from an instructor at Arthur Findlay College.

The podcast is here.

Arthur Findlay College web site is here

[jack]

some sites just present 3 words and ask that you select the odd one

[Michael Prescott]

Thanks for posting, Alex. Other than Steve Braude, who is sympathetic to super-psi but ultimately comes down in favor of survival, I don't know of any contemporary researchers who endorse super-psi. Maybe someone else knows?

[cheap jerseys]

Ah well, the first collection, look at home from work at night.

[Douglas]

What is relevant to the readers here is that one of the instructors who is a physical mediumship implies that David Thompson is a genuine medium whose level of mediumship he aspires to attain. That is a pretty good recommendation coming from an instructor at Arthur Findlay College.
----------------

Some here are not convinced by David Thompson.

By that, I don't mean the general consensus is that he is an out and out fraud.

A few might think so, but the majority of reports I have read don't suggest this.

I think most people think he is producing genuine phenomena, but the question is whether it is genuine afterlife communicators who are coming through, or if he is projecting his own subconscious thought forms. Even if this turns out to be the case, it is still a remarkable feat.

The problem is that David may not be able to tell which is which. He himself seems in no doubt. Neither is Victor Zammit, but others outside his circle are not quite so sure.

Much has been leveled at the fact that 'William', his control, has been unable to provide verifiable evidence of his claim to a previous life here on earth in the 19th century.

However, if I am not mistaken, Leonora Piper, who I think is definitely genuine, also had a control who claimed to be French, but it soon became clear that the control really hardly knew any of the language when questioned and in all likelihood wasn’t who he said he was (See Chris Carter's latest book for more on this).

The same is probably the case with Thompson's 'William' control. That doesn’t mean these entities are not real, it just implies that they may not be who they say they are.

Perhaps this is connected with the 'functional entity' idea talked about previously on this blog, where the medium creates an artificial entity to act as a form of bridge, allowing a communication with genuine communicators residing in non-physical realms.

Still, using the 'William' control as a stick to beat Thompson over the head with, (as some here have done) doesn’t carry much weight as far as I’m concerned, as the same criticisms can be leveled at Leonora Piper.

Thompson critics will respond, of course, by saying there is a difference, in that Piper’s communications were of a much higher quality than Thompson’s, and that's what matters at the end of the day, and they would be right to an extent, but they would still be avoiding the main point, which is that Piper's control was most likely not who he said he was either.

[Alex Jones]

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[resep masakan]

This is off topic but may be of interest to readers here. There is a podcast by someone who took a class at Arthur Findlay College which is probably the world's best (only?) school with residential programs in mediumship. What is relevant to the readers here is that one of the instructors who is a physical mediumship implies that David Thompson is a genuine medium who's level of mediumship he aspires to attain. That is a pretty good recommendation coming from an instructor at Arthur Findlay College.

[resep masakan]

I don't suppose there's any option to use hashcashes?

They are a javascript-only thing that runs in the background of a browser, so people using post bots without javascript can't post and people using javascript can't post spam in huge bulk amounts. http://www.rofingi.com

[woolrich outlet]

This is off topic but may be of interest to readers here. There is a podcast by someone who took a class at Arthur Findlay College which is probably the world's best (only?) school with residential programs in mediumship. What is relevant to the readers here is that one of the instructors who is a physical mediumship implies that David Thompson is a genuine medium who's level of mediumship he aspires to attain.

[woolrich outlet]

This is off topic but may be of interest to readers here. There is a podcast by someone who took a class at Arthur Findlay College which is probably the world's best (only?) school with residential programs in mediumship. What is relevant to the readers here is that one of the instructors who is a physical mediumship implies that David Thompson is a genuine medium who's level of mediumship he aspires to attain.

[intraday trading tips]

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[justin bieber shoes]

Hate- Slowly but surely, the defense of the Eagles is improving every week. Combine this with the return of Rashard Mendenhall this week and you have my personal hate: Heath Miller. Big Ben has given Heath plenty of targets and even a couple TDs, but the Eagles will have no problem stopping that this week with the help of Demeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks. Also, as mentioned, Mendenhall comes back this week. I'm not saying he's going to be a huge part of the offense this week, I'm just saying that working him in will take away some throwing attempts from Big Ben, and subsequently, targets from Miller.

[local seo]

It's too late, my cover has been blown.Mossad are on to me and surrounding my cabin as I type. Goodbye cruel world.